Category Archives: Theology

Judging Judges: The Cutting of the Concubine

I was just asked how one should deal with the story of the Levite cutting up his gang-raped concubine in Judges 19. Here is my short answer. The ending chapters of Judges function at several levels:1) historical context for the … Continue reading

Posted in History, Judges, Theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Changing Media Living Message

I often hear complaints (and have offered my own) about movies not being like the book and just how much better the book was by comparison. This may be true enough, but perhaps what we are latently getting at suggests … Continue reading

Posted in Scripture, Theology, translation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bible Scholar or Theologian? Yes

I was asked some time ago now if I considered myself a “theologian” or a “Bible scholar”. This was in a context (seminary) where there seemed to be a fair divide among students of each focus and I know it … Continue reading

Posted in Biblical Studies, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I Can Almost See Jesus

I recently bought the blue-ray edition of Ben-Hur (1959) and we had a family movie night last night enjoying it. One thing, however, kept coming up. Cambria (8) kept commenting how badly she wanted to see Jesus’ face. If you … Continue reading

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I'm Getting a Tattoo

Yes, you read that correctly. I am getting a tattoo. And, yes, I am still a pastor and Bible college faculty member. And I am not just getting any tattoo. The kind you are probably thinking that I am getting … Continue reading

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Let Women Remain Silent (or Not)

Last week in class we discussed 1 Corinthians 14.33-35. Talk about a controversial text. How does one properly interpret such a passage?  I was asked by a number of friends if I might post my notes on this. Instead of … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Corinthians, Hermeneutics, Theology, translation | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Eating Your Theology (Gen.6-9)

In Sunday School this week we covered the account of Noah in Genesis 6-9. And I was struck once again by the contrast between the ancient Near Eastern (ANE) accounts that parallel the Biblical Deluge/Noah account. In the ANE accounts … Continue reading

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Change Is Coming

Today was a tear-filled day as I announced my resignation to Karlstad Assembly of God effective the end of July. I have been asked to join the faculty of Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, ND as Assistant Professor of Biblical … Continue reading

Posted in Biblical Studies, Hermeneutics, Homiletics, Theology, Trinity Bible College | 17 Comments

The Revelation of Yahweh in the Exodus: The Theological Center

I was struck by a re-reading of Exodus recently as I meditated on just what the overarching theology of Exodus might be. The Scripture that struck me most strongly was Exodus 4:22 (NET): Thus says the Lord, ‘Israel is my … Continue reading

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Literature for Ethics and Theology

“Literature is important for ethics because literature is as complicated as life itself, and cannot be decoded or boiled down. Ethical insight comes from reading it–first sequentially and then reflectively–not from trying to extract a ‘message’ from it.”* This is … Continue reading

Posted in Ethics, Interpretation, Literary Reading, Theology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment